SOUTHERN SECTION DIVISION III TENNIS : Los Alamitos Girls Reach Final by Storming Past Palm Desert

A strong doubles performance led top-seeded Los Alamitos to the Southern Section Division III girls’ tennis finals, thanks to a 15-3 victory over Palm Desert Thursday at Old Ranch Tennis Club.

Los Alamitos (22-1) will play the winner of the North Hollywood Harvard Westlake-Glendora St. Lucy match for the championship Tuesday at the Claremont Tennis Club.

The Griffins, who won the Division 2-A championships last season, did not lose a set in doubles. Their No. 1 team, Veronica Selby and Erin White, swept, 6-3, 6-0, 6-0.

Palm Desert’s No. 1 singles player, Staci Smith, won the only sets for the Aztecs, sweeping, 6-4, 6-2, 6-4. Smith finished the season 52-1.

“Doubles were the reason we won the title last season,” Los Alamitos Coach Debbie Fleming said. “So if we continue with that, it could be nice.”

Erica Ladney, who played No. 1 doubles last season but had been sidelined because of tendinitis since early in the season, played in only her third match and teamed with Sheri Moore to win, 6-1, 6-3, 6-1.